Despite gearing up for DC Fandome later this month on 22 August 2020, DC Comics just can’t catch a break as the majority of the staff from the comic book giant and the DC Universe streaming app have been laid off.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, these include editor-in-chief Bob Harras, senior VP of publishing strategy and support services Hank Kanalz, VP of marketing and creative services Jonah Weiland, VP global publishing initiatives and digital strategy Bobbie Chase, senior story editor Brian Cunningham, and executive editor Mark Doyle, who oversaw the rollout of the Black Label graphic novels.

Roughly one-third of DC’s editorial ranks are being laid off. However, no major creative teams of writers and artists are included in the list so far, which means that no comics have been officially cancelled as of yet.

While these layoffs will likely have an immediate effect on the publication of DC Comics monthly titles, we have no idea which ones since most of the ones laid off (that we know of) so far are editors and not the creatives. However, readers should expect a rapid reduction of titles. It’s logical that a lot of comics will have to disappear as there simply won’t be enough people to work on them.

The only speculation I can make is that the DC Black Label comics might be most affected, since executive editor Mark Doyle is named (so we know that at least). These include ongoing and upcoming comics like:

(Disclaimer: Based on present and upcoming projects)

Rorschach (Tom King & Jorge Fornés)

American Vampire 1976 (Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque)

The Last God: Songs of Lost Children (Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Riccardo Federici)

Batman: The Three Jokers (Geoff Johns & Jason Fabok)

Strange Adventures (Tom King & Mitch Gerads)

Harley Quinn And The Birds Of Prey (Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti)

Wonder Woman Dead Earth (Daniel Warren Johnson)

The Question: the Deaths of Vic Sage (Jeff Lemire & Denys Cowan)

Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity (Kami Garcia & Mico Suayan, Mike Mayhew)

More victims of the layoffs include the majority of the staff of the streaming service DC Universe has been laid off, which might have been a casualty of the HBO Max launch, and DC Direct, the company’s in-house merchandise and collectibles manufacturer (probably with Warner Bros. Consumer Products replacing it).

DC Universe makes shows like Young Justice, Titans, the Harley Quinn animated series and more, but these might just be joining Doom Patrol on HBO Max instead of being outright cancelled.